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Topic Contents

Nausea and Vomiting, Age 12 and Older

Topic Overview

Nausea is a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. When you are nauseated, you may feel weak and sweaty and have too much saliva in your mouth. You may even vomit. This forces your stomach contents up your esophagus and out of your mouth. Most of the time, nausea and vomiting are not serious. Home treatment will often help you feel better.

Nausea and vomiting can be a symptom of another illness. Nausea and vomiting may be caused by:

Illness caused by a virus, such as viral stomach illness (gastroenteritis).

Whether and how to adjust the dose and timing of insulin or other diabetes medicines.

What to do if you have trouble keeping food or fluids down.

When to call your doctor.

The plan is designed to help keep your diabetes in control even though you are sick. When you have diabetes, even a minor illness can cause problems.

It is easy for your diabetes to become out of control when you are sick. Because of an illness:

Your blood sugar may be too high or too low.

You may not be able take your diabetes medicine (if you are vomiting or having trouble keeping food or fluids down).

You may not know how to adjust the timing or dose of your diabetes medicine.

You may not be eating enough or drinking enough fluids.

Temperature varies a little depending on how you measure it. For adults and children age 12 and older, these are the ranges for high, moderate, and mild, according to how you took the temperature.

Oral (by mouth) temperature

High:104°F (40°C) and higher

Moderate:100.4°F (38°C) to103.9°F (39.9°C)

Mild:100.3°F (37.9°C) and lower

A forehead (temporal) scanner is usually 0.5°F (0.3°C) to 1°F (0.6°C) lower than an oral temperature.

Ear or rectal temperature

High:105°F (40.6°C) and higher

Moderate:101.4°F (38.6°C) to104.9°F (40.5°C)

Mild:101.3°F (38.5°C) and lower

Armpit (axillary) temperature

High: 103°F (39.5°C) and higher

Moderate:99.4°F (37.4°C) to102.9°F (39.4°C)

Mild: 99.3°F (37.3°C) and lower

If you're not sure if a fever is high, moderate, or mild, think about these issues:

With a high fever:

You feel very hot.

It is likely one of the highest fevers you've ever had. High fevers are not that common, especially in adults.

With a moderate fever:

You feel warm or hot.

You know you have a fever.

With a mild fever:

You may feel a little warm.

You think you might have a fever, but you're not sure.

Certain health conditions and medicines weaken the immune system's ability to fight off infection and illness. Some examples in adults are:

Diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and HIV/AIDS.

Long-term alcohol and drug problems.

Steroid medicines, which may be used to treat a variety of conditions.

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer.

Other medicines used to treat autoimmune disease.

Medicines taken after organ transplant.

Not having a spleen.

You can get dehydrated when you lose a lot of fluids because of problems like vomiting or fever.

Symptoms of dehydration can range from mild to severe. For example:

You may feel tired and edgy (mild dehydration), or you may feel weak, not alert, and not able to think clearly (severe dehydration).

You may pass less urine than usual (mild dehydration), or you may not be passing urine at all (severe dehydration).

Severe dehydration means:

Your mouth and eyes may be extremely dry.

You may pass little or no urine for 12 or more hours.

You may not feel alert or be able to think clearly.

You may be too weak or dizzy to stand.

You may pass out.

Moderate dehydration means:

You may be a lot more thirsty than usual.

Your mouth and eyes may be drier than usual.

You may pass little or no urine for 8 or more hours.

You may feel dizzy when you stand or sit up.

Mild dehydration means:

You may be more thirsty than usual.

You may pass less urine than usual.

Severe vomiting can mean that:

You vomit more than 10 times in 24 hours.

For at least 24 hours, you vomit every time you try to drink something.

The vomit shoots out in large amounts and with great force.

Many nonprescription and prescription medicines can cause nausea or vomiting. A few examples are:

Antibiotics.

Antidepressants.

Aspirin, ibuprofen (such as Advil or Motrin), and naproxen (such as Aleve).

Medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy).

Opioid pain medicines.

Vitamins and mineral supplements, such as iron.

Starting a new medicine or increasing the dose can cause nausea and vomiting. Nausea and vomiting also may mean that there is too much medicine in your body, even if you took it properly.

Shock is a life-threatening condition that may quickly occur after a sudden illness or injury.

Adults and older children often have several symptoms of shock. These include:

Passing out (losing consciousness).

Feeling very dizzy or lightheaded, like you may pass out.

Feeling very weak or having trouble standing.

Not feeling alert or able to think clearly. You may be confused, restless, fearful, or unable to respond to questions.

Shock is a life-threatening condition that may occur quickly after a sudden illness or injury.

Babies and young children often have several symptoms of shock. These include:

Passing out (losing consciousness).

Being very sleepy or hard to wake up.

Not responding when being touched or talked to.

Breathing much faster than usual.

Acting confused. The child may not know where he or she is.

Symptoms of a heart attack may include:

Chest pain or pressure, or a strange feeling in the chest.

Sweating.

Shortness of breath.

Nausea or vomiting.

Pain, pressure, or a strange feeling in the back, neck, jaw, or upper belly, or in one or both shoulders or arms.

Lightheadedness or sudden weakness.

A fast or irregular heartbeat.

The more of these symptoms you have, the more likely it is that you're having a heart attack. Chest pain or pressure is the most common symptom, but some people, especially women, may not notice it as much as other symptoms. You may not have chest pain at all but instead have shortness of breath, nausea, or a strange feeling in your chest or other areas.

Symptoms of serious illness may include:

A severe headache.

A stiff neck.

Mental changes, such as feeling confused or much less alert.

Extreme fatigue (to the point where it's hard for you to function).

Shaking chills.

Seek Care Today

Based on your answers, you may need care soon. The problem probably will not get better without medical care.

Call your doctor today to discuss the symptoms and arrange for care.

If you cannot reach your doctor or you don't have one, seek care today.

Take an over-the-counter antinausea medicine, such as meclizine (Antivert or Bonine) or dimenhydrinate (Dramamine), or an antihistamine, such as Benadryl. Don't give antihistamines to your child unless you've checked with the doctor first.

Try acupressure:

Place the tip of your right index finger on the underside of your left wrist, about1.5 in. (4 cm) from your hand. Acupressure points are very small, so you may need to try this method more than one time.

Apply moderate pressure for 2 to 3 minutes.

Repeat as needed.

Acupressure bands, which are available for motion sickness, may help reduce nausea.

Suck on peppermint candy, or chew a stick of peppermint gum. Peppermint may relax tight muscles in your stomach and help decrease the stomach contractions that may be causing your nausea.

After vomiting has stopped for 1 hour, drink 1 fl oz (30 mL) of a clear liquid every 20 minutes for 1 hour. Clear liquids include apple or grape juice mixed to half strength with water, rehydration drinks, weak tea with sugar, clear broth, and gelatin dessert. Avoid orange juice, grapefruit juice, tomato juice, and lemonade. Avoid apple and grape juice if you also have diarrhea. Do not drink milk products, alcohol, or carbonated drinks such as sodas.

If you do not have any more vomiting, increase the amount of fluid you drink to 8 fl oz (240 mL) during the second hour. If you are not vomiting after the second hour, make sure that you continue to drink enough to prevent dehydration.

When you are feeling better, begin eating clear soups, mild foods, and liquids until all symptoms are gone for 12 to 48 hours. Gelatin dessert, dry toast, crackers, and cooked cereal are good choices. Try to stay away from strong food odors, which can make nausea worse.

The acid in vomit can erode dental enamel and cause tooth decay (cavities). Rinse your mouth with water after you vomit. Brush your teeth if you can.

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